He narrated from Fudayl bin ‘Iyyaad, Sufyaan bin ‘Uyainah – whom he quoted much from –Wakee’, Yahyaa bin ‘Ubayd, Waleed bin Muslim, Ash-Shaafi’ee and others. He heard many ahaadeeth from Sufyaan bin ‘Uyainah, such that Ash-Shaafi’ee said of him: “He memorized ten-thousand ahaadeeth from Sufyaan bin ‘Uyainah.” Imaam Al-Humaydee said: “I sat with Sufyaan bin ‘Uyainah for nineteen years or so.” He is considered one of the greater companions of Ash-Shaafi’ee.

His Students:

His students were many. One of them, Imaam Al-Bukhaaree, narrated from him, as is seen in the very first hadeeth he reports in his Saheeh: “Verily, actions are by intentions….”. Adh-Dhuhlee, the two Raazee’s: Abu Zur’ah and Abu Haatim also narrated from him, as did Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Idrees Al-Makkee.

Abu Haatim Ar-Raazee said: “The most authentic of persons reporting from Ibn ‘Uyainah is Al-Humaydee, and he was at the head of the companions of Ibn ‘Uyainah. He was the reliable one, the Imaam.”

Al-Fasawee said of him: “Al-Humaydee narrated to us, and I did not come across someone more sincere to Islaam and its adherents than him.”

Muhammad bin ‘Abdur-Raheem Al-Harawee said: “I came to Makkah in the year 198H, and Sufyaan bin ‘Uyainah had died at the beginning of the year, seven months before we arrived. So I asked who was the best of Ibn ‘Uyainah’s companions. Al-Humaydee was mentioned to me, so I recorded the ahaadeeth of Ibn ‘Uyainah narrated from him.”

‘Alee bin Khalf said: “I heard Al-Humaydee say: ‘As long as I am in the Hijaaz area, and Ahmad bin Hanbal is in Iraq and Ishaaq in Khurasaan, no one will surpass us (here).’”

Al-Haakim said: “When Al-Bukhaaree would find a hadeeth of Al-Humaydee, he would not pass over his narration for someone else’s narration (of the hadeeth).”

Ibn Hibbaan said of him: “He was a person of the Sunnah, possessing nobility and Religion.”

Ibn ‘Adiyy said: “He traveled to Egypt with Ash-Shaafi’ee and was one of the best of people.”

Imaam Al-Humaydee said: “By Allaah, that I fight against those who reject the hadeeth of Allaah’s Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is more beloved to me than fighting against the disbelievers.”

Furthermore, Abu Muhammad Harb Al-Karmaanee, Al-Laalikaa’ee, Ibn Taimiyyah and others would describe him as being an “Imaam of the Sunnah.”

His Books:

The sources for his biography do not state many of the names of his books, as they should, but I found the following mentioned in them:

Ibn Sa’ad said: “He died in Makkah in 219H, and he was reliable and narrated many hadeeth.” May Allaah have mercy on him.

Sources: Written by Mish'al Haddadee [with brief additions], taken from his checking of the book Usool-us-Sunnah. Biography can be found in Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa (10/616-621) and Tadhkirat-ul-Huffaadh (2/413-414), both from Imaam Adh-Dhahabee, as well as at-Tahdheeb of al-Mizzee (14/512). Translation taken from www.al-ibaanah.com (offline).